I am constantly hearing from people that infantry soldiers, usually no matter how long they have served, are unemployable once they leave the Army because they are 'trained to kill' as they say. Is this really the case? Many people don't seem to understand why ex-servicemen are so proud of their time in the Army. What careers would be suited to ex-infanteers? Maybe the police? I would imagine other paths such as various intelligence or security services too. I always hear though that even this is hard to get into for the ex-soldiers. Can anyone shed some light on this please?

Its a myth - I was recently called in to help track down Raoul Moat and was presented with a case of Thunderbird for doing so. Unfortunately during the course of my epic man-stalk I missed a signing on appointment at the job centre and have now lost my benefits. So, there IS life after the infantry. Just not much of one.

I run a rehabilitation centre for infanteers that have been separated from their ilk. We try to build up their strength and get them used to fending for themselves so we can eventually send them back into the wild.

Sadly I found there really isn't one that comes close to filling the void. As far as police is concerned, in America at least the police now look with a jaundiced eye on infantry veterans due to the publicity of PTSD. In the UK it may not be as problematic since they are not usually armed.

Unless you have qualifications before you join up, on departure from the infantry you will eligible for the following 2 options:
Estate Agency
Security and related door/logistic stuff

Driving can be included if you got your licence when in.

This is mostly because there is no "qualification barrier to entry" for these 2 fields, though there are rumors that Estate Agency might get a bit more regulation shortly.
Certainly, SIA is not really an industry advancing qualification scheme, more induction training for a limited cartel (how many SIA trained illegal immigrant were working at the Home Office?) and with most unimaginative leavers blowing all their resettlement money on CP courses, it would be fair to say the market is getting overpopulated.

Public sector is not looking too rosy at the moment, and private sector can be hard to get into.

Its nothing to do with being "Trained to Kill" and much more to do with being institutionalised for a long time into a hierarchical system and then coming to the depressing realisation that the sometimes reviled remf Loggie, REME, engr types etc can fit better into civvy strasse.

CTW/CTP are a farce, resettlement would be better served by following a "cult deprogramming" approach, with the eventual aim that the patient can go on limited day release over a period of 2 years before end of service.
Seems to work for the canadians!

Certainly, SIA is not really an industry advancing qualification scheme, more induction training for a limited cartel (how many SIA trained illegal immigrant were working at the Home Office?) and with most unimaginative leavers blowing all their resettlement money on CP courses, it would be fair to say the market is getting overpopulated.

Click to expand...

The way forward would therefore seem to be setting up a school for people who want SIA or CP qualifications.........

Its not just the infantry though that find it hard on the outside, everyone not in a technical trade does. For example RA, what do they have to bring to civ div? Even RMP only really have CP and security these days. Not having a go at anyone just highlighting the fact that if the Career Transition Partnership is going to continue to call itself that then they really need to look at providing a much better resettlement package than it currently does however with hindsight as someone who joined the army aged 18 with only GCSE's, I wish I had had a bit more of structured plan than I did towards my career after the forces.

A good mate of mine started his military career in the D+D's. He finished his 22 as a CSgt and left to start work labouring on construction sites. The firm employing him retro-fit mezzanines into big shed type stores giving them extra retail space. His work ethic, sense of responsibility, attention to detail and organisational skills soon got him talent spotted and promoted. He has been promoted and given more responsibility over and over meaning that in a relatively short second career, he has progressed from labourer to site supervisor.

This is a little vague, I know, but the skills you develop as a soldier are transferable to civvy strasse but sometimes they're not as easily described by a course title like "Senior Brecon".